sutton



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. SUTTON.

' GAME BOARD.

No. 447,088. Patented 79610.24, 1891.

iull Hi If (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. SUTTON.

' GAME BOARD;

No.447,088; Patente dif'eb. 24,1891.

WITNESSES: 5M0 gu K X 4 g Arm/v;

" UNITED STATES}; PATENT] Omen.

JOHN W. sU'r'roN, on NEW YORK, N; Y:

GAME-BOARD.

SPEQIFAICA'IUION forming part of Letters Patent m5. 447,088, dated February 24., 1891.

Application filedOctober 8,1890. Serial in 367.387. on an r v a To all wltbmitmdg) concern.- j Be it known that 'I,J OHN W. SUTTON, of, the

' city'of New "York,in the county of New York and State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of games known as base-ball games and the object of my inventionis to provide a game-board of this kind on which the game of base-ball can be played by means of marbles or balls under the same rules as the regular game is played. The invention consists in a game-board having a diamond-shaped track, the start ing end ofiwhich is higher than the finishing end, and the board being inclined upward from both edges of the track. V

The invention further consists in the coinbination,with said board, of forks arrangedat the corners of the diamond and meansfor turning said forks to arrest or release the rolling balls.

The invention also consists in the construction and combination of parts and details, which will be fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure'l is a plan view of my improved game-board for playing the game of. base-ball. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on'the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the under side of my improved baseball game-board; and Fig. at is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4.- at, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The batters position a, the first base Z), the second base d, the third base e, and the home-plate A, adjacent to the batters position a, are arranged in the shape of a diamond in the usual manner on the game-board A, and these are connected by the track f. From the outer edges of said track the gameboard A is inclined upward and outward, and that part of the game-board bounded by the track is made in the shape of an obtuse pyramid, so that the game-board is inclined upward from both edges of the entire track. The track f is not horizontal; but each section-that is, the part between each two bases-has an incline, so that the batters position is considerably higher than the end of the track. From the center of the diamond a level way or track 13 extends to the batters position a, and on one end of the same the chute O is pivoted, so as to adapt it to beshifted for guiding a ball, as may be necessary. "Adjacent to the pitchers position an'adjustable guard E is pivoted on the top of the track B, which guard can be arranged in diiferent positions, so that its inner edge is a greater or less distance from the batters position, according to the size of the ball usedj A wire guard F extends from the batters position a in the direction of the first base I), and 'a curved wire guard G is arranged along the track and also extends in the direction from the batters position a to the first base I) for the purpose of guiding the ball toward the first base I). At the first base I), secondbase cl, and third base e a curved guard-wire H is arranged to prevent the ball that runs down on the sections of the track from running up the outer incline of the game-board,and to compel it to turn the corner and run down the next section of the track.

At'the first base b, second base d, and )1: third base 6 a vertical shaft J is arranged;

provided on the upper'end with a fork K,-.-.-5

adapted to swing over the guide H. Each shaft is provided on its lower end with the crank L, Fig. 2, with which the spring M is a let go the straight end of the fork K forces I the base-running ball through the next base with more or less force, as the manipulator desires, by releasing the handle 0 quickly or I slowly.

On different parts of the game-board curved projections P are formed, upon which the balls representing the fielders can be placed. As the fielder takes different positions in the actual game of base-ball, a ball representing the fielder can be placed in different positions on the game-board, making a game that has no element of chance in it, but wholly one of skill.

The game is played in the following manner: Two parties play against each other, each party composed of one or more persons, and each party representing one of the nines. A ball representing a player is placed on one of the curved projections marked 1 B, 2 B, S S, R F, C F, and L F, these balls representing the out and in field. A ball X is placed on the batters position, and a ball Z is held by the pitcher upon the upper end of the chute O. The pitcher guides the chute 0, when he releases the ball Z, in such a manner that it will run down the chute along the track 13 and strike the ball X, causing the same to run along between the guards F and G toward the first base I). If the pitcher manipulates the chute C so that the ball X at the batters position a strikes the guard E or forces the batters ball X in any other direction than toward and between the guides F and G, this is called a ball, and if this occurs four times the ball X on the batters position a, is moved to the first base. If, on the contrary, the person manipulating the chute manages to cause the ball running down the chute O to pass be tween the ball X on the batters position and the guard E without striking the ball X, this is called a strike, and if three such strikes are made the player represented by the ball Xis declaret out. As soon as the baserunning ball X begins to run from the batters position to the first base or between any two bases the out players have the privilege to start any one of the fielder-balls on the curved projections P in an attempt to strike the ball X while the same is running along the track, and if they succeed in thus striking said base-running ball X anywhere between the bases the player is declared out. On the other hand, the player or players representing the in side manipulate the buttons or handle 0 on the ends of the springs N in such a manner as to arrest the ball ru nning along the track at any time they may see fit to prevent its being struck or put out by one of the balls rolled from one of the pro jections I. If such running ball representing a base-runner is to be stopped, the corresponding button or handle 0 is pulled outward, whereby the corresponding fork K is turned in such a manner as to project over the guard I-l, so as to catch and arrest the ball representing the runner. At the proper time when the player manipulating the buttons or handles 0 thinks there is no danger of a ball being put out he releases the corresponding button or handle 0, when the corresponding spring M throws the fork clear of the track, thereby releasing the ball representing the base-runner, which ball then continues to run along the track, the spring starting the ball quickly or slowly, as the manipue lator chooses, by letting it go quickly or slowly, so as to deceive the otherside as to the speed called one run and scored for that side.

of the base-runner. When a'ball has made the circuit of the track or diamond, this is If three balls of one side are put out, either by strikes or by being struck by a ball from one of the projections representing the fielders, the side is out and the players exchange places, the party that manipulated the out balls now taking charge of the buttons or handles 0 and the other party manipulating the balls representing the fielders.

The rules governing the regular game of base-ball also govern this game. Aball representing the base-runner is always safe when at rest on one of the bases, and while between two bases can be put out at any time by being struck by one of the balls representing fieldingplayers. Nine innings constitute a game, and the side scoring the most runs wins the game.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A game-board for playing base-ball, having a diamond an d a track along the edges of the diamond, the entire track being inclined and the end being lower than the beginning, substantially as set forth.

2. A game-board for playing base-ball,11aving a diamond and an inclined track along the edges of the diamond, the game-board being inclined upward, outward, and inward from the edges of the track along the diamond, substantially as set forth.

3. A game-board for playing base-ball, having a diamond and a track along the edges 'of'the diamond, the entire track being inclined and the end being lower than the beginning, and a track extending from the middle of the diamond to that corner representing the batters position, substantially as set forth.

4. The combinatiomwith a game-board having a diamond and a track along the edges of the diamond, the entire track being inclined and the end being lower than the beginning, of a track extending from the center of the diamond-to the corner representing the batters position, and a pivoted chute at the inner end of said latter track, substantially as set forth.

5. The combinatiomwith a game-board having a diamond and an inclined track along the edges of the diamond, of a track extending from the center of the diamond toward that corner representing the pitchers position, a pivoted chute on the inner end of said track, and guards at each side of the outer end of said track, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination,with a game-board having a diamond and an inclined track along the edges of the same, of a track extending from the center of the diamond toward the batters position, a pivoted chute on the inner end of said track, two guards extending from the batters position in the direction toward the first-base corner of the diamond, and a guard at that side'of the batters position toward the corner representing the third base, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination,wi th a game-board having a diamond and a track along the edges of the same, of a swinging fork at each corner representing a base and means for swinging said forks, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination,with a game-board having a diamond and a track along the edges of the same, of a rocking vertical shaft at each corner representing a base, a fork on the upper end of each shaft, a spring acting on the my invention I have signed my name in pres- 2o ence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN \V. SUTTON.

\Vitnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, MARTIN PETRY. 

